Aspects Of Cheap Deep Cycle Batteries

A lead-acid deep cycle battery uses the majority of its capacity during regular discharge. Most vehicle batteries are starter batteries that deliver short bursts of high current to crank the car engine. Only a small portion of their capacity is regularly discharged. It is possible to use cheap deep cycle batteries as starting batteries but lower cranking amps often require the use of an oversized battery.

The main structural difference between the two battery types is the lead battery plate. These plates are thicker on deep cycle batteries, as are the separators, and the active paste material is of a higher density. Thicker plates are better able to resist corrosion during an extended charging and discharging cycle. A major cause of deep cycle battery failure is the loss of active material from plate shedding. The internal grid supporting this material often becomes corroded.

To improve their life expectancy, the capacity of deep cycle batteries is often limited by electrolyte capacity rather than plate mass. Depending on manufacturer and battery construction, this type of battery discharges between 50 and 80 percent. Though charge can go as low as 20 percent, keeping a 50 percent discharge average cycle will lengthen the component lifespan. Depth of discharge is directly related to the number of discharge and charge cycles this type of battery can perform.

These batteries are frequently used in recreational vehicles, motorized wheelchairs, and trolling motors in a recreational fishing boats. Electrically-propelled industrial floor sweepers and forklifts are also equipped with these motors. Clean energy companies have begin using them in their off-grid wind and solar power energy storage systems. The inclusion of a deep cycle battery is particularly common in a small installation that covers only one building.

Pricing for a deep cycle battery varies but generally falls in the $100 to $300 range, depending on purpose, brand, and amp-hour storage. Free batteries can be found but are usually worth their price. These may not have ever been used but this does not mean that they are adequate. They might have been stored for years at less than a full charge, rendering them scrap lead.

Finding cheap deep cycle batteries requires more than just looking at the initial cost. The lifetime cost should be considered and even though maintenance may not have a monetary price, it does cost time. The general rule is that a more expensive deep cycle battery will last longer, so depending on its purpose, it may be the best choice.